| 452the Laboratory. Prof. Jaeggi, Curator at the Botanic Gartens, gives a two hour talk on the Swiss Flora, Saturday afternoon.
There are some things that I like better in the U. of N. style of teaching than here - for one thing the students here are not allowed such free use of the laboratory, herbarium, library and collections. He is expected to trust more to his memory and note book, and if he puts in extra time it must be at his rooms. Again I think it is the better plan to have both lectures and recitations. Lectures only, makes it too nearly optional with the student whether he learns anything or not. Judging from what I have seen already I should say that a large per cent of the students are students simply because it is a very easy way to spend a few years and have a pretty good time. At a University you may hear lectures one semester or a dozen and stand for a degree when you get ready. Of course it enables the man who is so inclined to do some hard digging but it will ruin a fellow of very easy going pattern. What I want is someone to stand over me with a club to keep me in motion and in the right
(2)
path and not wandering all over the pasture, figuratively speaking, with no more definate purpose than to kill time. Then follow periodical intervals of awakening and a mild form of intellectual [grin] jams, not productive of personal enjoyment either to the writer or to anyone to whom he may pour out his woes while he has them. If it were not for the libraries and Herbariums one could do almost as well at home as far as Ph.D work goes. All that is wanted is literature, material and the ability to dig, - yes and inclination too.
After having spent two and a half years in out door work the confinement necessary to study is rather trying and I am afraid I will not be able to stand it. My eyes are too weak for good microscopic work and I would as soon lose my life as my eyesight. So perhaps [ ] the plan you suggested of tramping around through the different agricultural regions will be the best one. | 452the Laboratory. Prof. Jaeggi, Curator at the Botanic Gartens, gives a two hour talk on the Swiss Flora, Saturday afternoon.
There are some things that I like better in the U. of N. style of teaching than here - for one thing the students here are not allowed such free use of the laboratory, herbarium, library and collections. He is expected to trust more to his memory and note book, and if he puts in extra time it must be at his rooms. Again I think it is the better plan to have both lectures and recitations. Lectures only, makes it too nearly optional with the student whether he learns anything or not. Judging from what I have seen already I should say that a large per cent of the students are students simply because it is a very easy way to spend a few years and have a pretty good time. At a University you may hear lectures one semester or a dozen and stand for a degree when you get ready. Of course it enables the man who is so inclined to do some hard digging but it will ruin a fellow of very easy going pattern. What I want is someone to stand over me with a club to keep me in motion and in the right
(2)
path and not wandering all over the pasture, figuratively speaking, with no more definate purpose than to kill time. Then follow periodical intervals of awakening and a mild form of intellectual [grin] jams, not productive of personal enjoyment either to the writer or to anyone to whom he may pour out his woes while he has them. If it were not for the libraries and Herbariums one could be almost as well at home as far as Ph.D work goes. All that is wanted is literature, material and the ability to dig, - yes and inclination too.
After having spent two and a half years in out door work the confinement necessary to study is rather trying and I am afraid I will not be able to stand it. My eyes are too weak for good microscopic work and I would as soon lose my life as my eyesight. So perhaps [ ] the plan you suggested of tramping around through the different agricultural regions will be the best one. |